Smoked Turkey

[Hoofbite]

I went over to a friend's house on T-day to stop in and do the meet and greet stuff after he called me and told me I had to come over and try his turkey.

Said he smoked it for 7.5 hours or something like that. I can't remember. "Apple wood, wish I would have used more of it than I did".

Anyway, I was floored when I tried this turkey. Hands down one of the best tasting turkeys I have ever had.

I've long been a guy who stands by the deep fryer as the best way to cook a turkey but this smoked bird was better than anything I have had out of the fryer.

Anyone else have any experience smoking a turkey? Recipes? How long, what kind of wood?

I think I'm gonna get him to bring that smoker over on a Sunday Morning and see if we can't replicate his previous cookings while we watch football all day.

[Rackat]

I deep fried four turkeys on Thursday for family and friends. It's been my favorite since i first had it back in the late 80's. I've tried a couple of smoked turkeys, but they never compared. I have a good friend that swears by them, though. I'll try to see if I can get his recipe.

[jobberone]

When its done well, smoked turkey is just great esp for me wild turkey. The secret with baked turkey is to make it moist and don't cook it too long. I like to use a bag. However, I like chicken better anyway or duck. Let us know what this guy does.

[Dallas]

You have not had turkey until you try Honey Glazed Roasted Pecan Deep Fried Turkey.

My uncle makes it. Holy hell, slap your mama!

[jobberone]

Originally Posted by Dallas

You have not had turkey until you try Honey Glazed Roasted Pecan Deep Fried Turkey.

My uncle makes it. Holy hell, slap your mama!

That sounds good actually. How does it get that into the fryer?

[Jammer]

A couple of years ago I went with an infrared "oil free" turkey fryer. It is a really good way to cook a turkey. Not only do I inject the bird with seasonings like I would if I fried the turkey, but I'm also able to put wood chips in the cooker to "smoke" the turkey. It's so good I cook 2-3 turkeys on Thanksgiving and I have no problem eating the meat for days afterwards. Everyone has always said it's the best turkey they've ever eaten.

[Dallas]

Originally Posted by jobberone

That sounds good actually. How does it get that into the fryer?

He injects most of the bird w/ the glaze and then fries it. Once it is out, he glazes it again w/ more honey glaze and whole pecans. The last is a sticky mess but it all melts nicely around the bird.

I have had it like 3x and cannot eat enough.

[yimyammer]

Originally Posted by Hoofbite

I went over to a friend's house on T-day to stop in and do the meet and greet stuff after he called me and told me I had to come over and try his turkey.

Said he smoked it for 7.5 hours or something like that. I can't remember. "Apple wood, wish I would have used more of it than I did".

Anyway, I was floored when I tried this turkey. Hands down one of the best tasting turkeys I have ever had.

I've long been a guy who stands by the deep fryer as the best way to cook a turkey but this smoked bird was better than anything I have had out of the fryer.

Anyone else have any experience smoking a turkey? Recipes? How long, what kind of wood?

I think I'm gonna get him to bring that smoker over on a Sunday Morning and see if we can't replicate his previous cookings while we watch football all day.

Making one right now.

I brine it for about 24 hours and then stove top smoke it for 30-60 minutes, then I cryovak (seal it in a plastic bag) it and cook it in the oven in an oven at 180 degrees until it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees.

I use a turkey breast that is two pieces packed together without the bones, so it can be sliced for sandwiches

Brine Recipe:

[Faerluna]

Originally Posted by Dallas

He injects most of the bird w/ the glaze and then fries it. Once it is out, he glazes it again w/ more honey glaze and whole pecans. The last is a sticky mess but it all melts nicely around the bird.

I have had it like 3x and cannot eat enough.

Glaze recipe, please! We have deep fried our turkeys for several years and love them. I'd love to try that glaze!

[DallasCowpoke]

I Spatchcock my turkey, (and chickens too for that matter) when I smoke it. That's just the technical term for removing the backbone with a pair of kitchen sheers, then breaking the keel bone so it essentially lays flat.
YouTube Link here

I then brine it using a number of different recipes. Then take;

2-3 whole onions quartered
2-3 stalks celery washed and broken into big pieces
3-4 carrots washed and broken into big pieces
1 bell pepper cut in big chunks
1 whole head of garlic unpeeled and cut in half across it's equator
A mixture of apples, oranges, lemons, most any firm-fleshed fruit washed, unpeeled and cut into big chunks
Several handfuls of the obvious FRESH herbs. Just wash them and leave them whole on the stems.
Make sure to add the backbone you cut out, and I cut the wingtips off at the first joint and add them as they have no real meat to speak of.

I take all this and pile it into a mound in a foil "hotel pan", usually a 1/2 pan will do as I do smaller turkeys when possible. Then form the bird over/around this mixture, cavity-side down, and season it liberally with whatever rub I'm interested in using, dissolved in about 3/4 to 1 whole stick of melted butter. Use enough rub, so that when you mix it in the butter, it comes out like loose, wet sand. Rub this ALL OVER THE BIRD, making sure to get the cavity, as well as UNDER THE SKIN, especially over the breast.

Add a combo of chicken stock, white wine and a few dashes of Worcester sauce, ONLY ENOUGH SO YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE PAN. Do NOT cover the veggie/herb mixture, and DO NOT have liquid up touching the bird.Tent the pan w/ foil, but do not seal the edges.

I heat my smoker w/ lump charcoal for about 45 mins to an hour, to a temp of 325, then add 2-3 logs of my wood. I like a combo of cherry and pecan, but use what you like. I let my wood burn down until it stops flaming, trying to keep the temp at no more than 325 when I put the bird on.

I cook it at this temp for about 1 hour, then uncover it and close the dampers to try and achive a temp of 275. I let that smoke for another hour to 1 1/2 hours, basting liberally every 20-30 mins, and pull it when the thigh and breast are about 160.

Cover tightly and let rest for at least 1 hour in a warm spot. Remove the bird and wrap it in foil. Drain the pan juices from the veggie-mix and discard (reserve the backbone). Defat them the drippings the best you can, and use this to make your gravy.

Holler if you have any ?'s, but there are some pretty good YouTube vids you can find that will probobly help you just as much.

[67CowboysFan]

Originally Posted by Hoofbite

I went over to a friend's house on T-day to stop in and do the meet and greet stuff after he called me and told me I had to come over and try his turkey.

Said he smoked it for 7.5 hours or something like that. I can't remember. "Apple wood, wish I would have used more of it than I did".

Anyway, I was floored when I tried this turkey. Hands down one of the best tasting turkeys I have ever had.

I've long been a guy who stands by the deep fryer as the best way to cook a turkey but this smoked bird was better than anything I have had out of the fryer.

Anyone else have any experience smoking a turkey? Recipes? How long, what kind of wood?

I think I'm gonna get him to bring that smoker over on a Sunday Morning and see if we can't replicate his previous cookings while we watch football all day.

I usually smoke a turkey about one hour per pound. Quarter a few apples and a few medium sized white onions and put them in the cavity. Coat the turkey in honey and fill the water pan with any type of cheap beer. Some mesquite wood chips also add a nice flavor.

The end result is a nice moist turkey with a little bit of a sweet taste. Good stuff.

[BlindFaith]

Brine the turkey over night. Key to moist turkey
Inject
Coat in butter, under the skin
Cover skin in rub
Smoke for 3 or 4 hours
Finish cooking in the oven with a water pan. Keeps it moist.

[davidyee]

...we do it as a treat on top of a regular roasted turkey.

Really loved that smoked meat taste.